Exclusive: Travis Scott Talks About Being the Face of the Nike VaporMax

We spoke to Travis Scott about his partnership with Nike, being the face of the VaporMax, and his first sneakers.

Travis Scott VaporMax 1
Nike

Image via Nike

Travis Scott VaporMax 1

Travis Scott has become one of the hottest rappers, a style icon for a new generation, and now, the newest face of Nike. The 25-year-old artist has linked up with Nike for its groundbreaking sneaker, the VaporMax, and he’s helping the brand launch its latest iteration of the shoe, the “Day to Night” pack. For the sneakers’ campaign, he’s featured in a set of photos wearing the various colorways found in the collection.

Although Scott is new to working with Nike, this is a partnership that he’s wanted to happen since he was young. His first pairs of sneakers as a kid were Air Jordan IVs and Air Force 1s, he says. “My relationship [with Nike] started when I was a kid, even if they didn’t know it at the time,” Scott says.“I have always been into the brand and have always wanted a relationship with Nike. Nike has always been supportive of my career. They always found a way to support me with my music.”

travis scott vapormax

The VaporMax partnership between Scott and Nike came to fruition when he performed for the brand this past  March 26, Air Max Day—twice,  in Los Angeles and New York on the same day. It was also the first time that he saw the VaporMax, Nike’s first sneaker with a complete-Air midsole. “The first time I saw them was just before I performed in them back in L.A.,” he says. “When I saw the all-black ones, I thought, ‘These are crazy.’ They are comfortable, and I was flying when I performed in them.”

The back-to-back, cross-country performances were just as memorable for Scott. “We couldn’t tell anyone, because it was going to be a surprise,” he says. “I remember just walking down the street and [it] was blocked off. When I went around the corner, and I saw how many people were out there, I was like, ‘Oh my god.’ The experience with getting out of L.A. right after the show and then landing in NYC in the middle of the day to go and perform again? It was reckless. It was crazy.” 

Onstage, style is as important to Scott as the music, and he pays meticulous attention to his outfit from head to toe. “I always keep a pair of Jordans on deck,” he says. “I always have these specific pair of cargo pants and flannel, and I got to have my grills and my chains, too.” 

travis scott vapormax 2

Scott’s not the only style influencer who’s signed to Nike; he’s joining an impressive cast of ASAP Bari and Virgil Abloh, who both have limited-edition sneakers with the brand and have helped it gain energy outside of sports for a younger generation that sees entertainers as the new athletes. “Those guys are always front runners. To be on that channel with them is dope,” he says.

There isn’t any  talk of Scott getting his own signature sneaker yet, but who knows? In the meantime, the “Day to Night” VaporMaxes will release on Thursday, June 1, for $190 a pair.